Electromechanical and electronic video gaming machines have long been cornerstones of the gaming industry. Because gaming machines are an important source of income for the gaming industry, casinos continually search for new ways to improve gaming machine capabilities, efficiency, and reliability.
There are three main types of gaming machines: mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic. The original slot-type gaming machines were entirely mechanical. Electromechanical gaming machines replaced all-mechanical gaming machines. Electromechanical gaming machines use a microprocessor to determine a random outcome and electric motors to spin and stop the mechanical reels. The electronic video gaming machine largely supplanted the mechanical reels of the electromechanical gaming machine with a video monitor to simulate mechanical reels. Video monitor displays typically include cathode ray tubes and flat panel type displays including LED displays, plasma displays, etc.
The gaming industry predominantly uses one of two different types of gaming cabinets to house the electrical, electronic, and mechanical components that comprise these various types of gaming machines. A slant top type gaming cabinet can be characterized by a video display screen that rests at approximately 30 degrees to the horizontal. This slant top type gaming cabinet allows the player to position their legs partially under the cabinet.
The other type of gaming cabinet is known as an “upright” cabinet. The upright cabinet has a video display screen that is approximately perpendicular to the floor. This type of gaming machine does not allow the player to position their legs under the gaming cabinet. The upright cabinet is less comfortable for a player to operate as the player has a larger standoff position from the cabinet. This prevents the player from comfortably placing their arms on the gaming cabinet. The chief advantage of the upright cabinet is that it takes up less floor space than the slant top. The upright cabinets allow the game establishment to operate more gaming machines per square foot—a significant economic advantage.
The use of microprocessors (also known as central processing units or CPU's) significantly advanced the state of the art of gaming machines. Microprocessor power allows gaming machines much greater latitude in determining random game outcomes. A random number generator driven by the CPU determines random game outcomes. A probability table contains all possible game outcomes with each game outcome linked to a number. The random number generated is used to look up the corresponding game outcome in the probability table. The CPU signals the stepper motors of the electromechanical gaming machine to drive and position the reels based on the randomly determined game outcome.
Microprocessor driven gaming machines allow gaming manufacturers to design slot games with more flexible pay tables. With a properly constructed pay table, microprocessor driven gaming machines can offer high value but low probability awards while still offering low value but high probability awards—offering a range of awards that would not otherwise be available.
The power of the microprocessor has also allowed the introduction of new gaming machine features and functions. For example, the microprocessor has allowed the introduction of player tracking cards, cashless gaming, touch screen input devices, biometric security devices, enhanced sound and video processing, and many other similar types of features that require the computing power of a sophisticated microprocessor. These features and functions can be enabled in a variety of combinations and operate on a variety of gaming platforms. The problem introduced by the variety of features and functions that can be offered is that gaming machines become increasingly more complex, are prone to more frequent failures, and more difficult to troubleshoot and repair. To assist technicians with these repairs, diagnostic programs are available through the gaming machine's CPU. These diagnostic programs are available to the technician through the video display. The results of maintenance diagnostic programs used to troubleshoot a gaming machine may be viewed on the video display screen.
The electronic video gaming machine's touch screen can be used as an input device to operate maintenance diagnostic programs. The technician is stepped through the diagnostic process with instructions and options displayed on the video display. The technician may make appropriate selections using the touch screen panel.
Assembly-line workers also use the video display to assist in the assembly of gaming machines to ensure that all of the hardware components have been assembled correctly and are functioning properly. In much the same manner as maintenance technicians, the assembly-line worker may use the video display to run diagnostic programs at the end of the manufacturing line as a quality control measure. Any problems identified with the gaming machine can then be corrected.
Maintenance activities often require the opening of the cabinet door to allow technicians to reach internal components. With the cabinet door open, however, the technician is unable to view the video display in the prior art gaming machines. This cabinet configuration hinders the efficient resolution of maintenance problems. The technician must constantly shift the cabinet door from the closed to the open position to alternately view the video display and then to perform maintenance activities inside the gaming cabinet.
The constant maneuvering of the cabinet door from the open to the closed position not only hinders efficiency and productivity, but also presents a potential work hazard—heads have been hit and limbs pinched from the constant maneuvering of the cabinet door. What is needed is a way to allow technicians to perform maintenance and testing activities with the cabinet door fully open and the video display always visible and available to technicians.